Woman accused of slapping an infant in custody on non-related charges

A woman a man says he caught on camera slapping an infant is in police custody.

Author:
kjac , KBMT

Published:
12:18 PM CDT May 15, 2014

A woman who a man says he caught on camera slapping an infant is now in police custody.

12News first reported the incident on Wednesday after receiving a call from a man who said he was able to hear the slap and the baby cry, even though he had his windows and doors closed. He pulled out his cell phone to capture it on video. The neighbor said he called police. He said police officers went to the house and checked the child but never asked for the video recording. So he posted it to Facebook.

12News visited the home where the woman is seen slapping the baby. A man answered the door and claimed he had no idea of the abuse. After watching the video the homeowner said the video shows his truck was not in the driveway. He recalls the visit by police officers and said they left after checking the infant.

The homeowner said the woman was on his back porch when he arrived home Tuesday. He said she is an acquaintance and has recently been down on her luck. The homeowner said he bought her baby supplies and let her stay the night. She was gone by mid-afternoon Wednesday.

After the visit, 12News relayed gathered information to the Department of Family Protective Services, and the agency began actively searching for the woman.

On Thursday, detectives from the Beaumont Police Department Special Crimes Division found 27-year-old Tieralyn Angelle and took her into custody. Angelle is the woman officers say was caught spanking an infant on Tuesday, May 13, 2014.

Beaumont Police Detectives found Angelle at a home in Port Arthur. Detectives interviewed Angelle about the incident and then booked her into the Jefferson County Jail on a probation revocation warrant for a prior unrelated burglary of a habitation charge.

Detectives also found the eight-month-old female child. She was with Angelle who is her biological mother.

A police spokesperson said the infant did not appear to be injured, and will remain in the custody of Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.